POLICE STATE USA

Cops saddled with unwanted military equipment

Local law enforcement agencies favor high-grade weapons over armored vehicles

Published: 08/28/2014 at 11:07 PM

(Washington Times) The sheriff’s department in Chelan County, east of Seattle, figured it could use an armored vehicle to transport its SWAT team’s response to thorny situations, thereby erasing the fear of taking fire as they sped into active shooter or barricade incidents.

When they asked the feds for a military vehicle, the Pentagon insisted they take three of them — armored, tracked vehicles designed to carry a 107 millimeter mortar, but which had the weapons removed to make it more suitable for police use.

The sheriff’s office now wants to return the assault vehicles, which technically are still owned by the Pentagon. But shipping 10-ton trucks has proven to be a logistics nightmare, and the county may end up having to absorb the cost.